The Top 10 Whiskeys of 2023
It was another tough year for the whisky nerds among us – which is, well, all of us – as we tried to pare down the hundreds of options we reviewed throughout 2023 and come up with a list of the ten that excited us the most. Yes, we heard your cries from last year:…
Review: Casa Dragones Blanco, Reposado, and Anejo (2023)
When we first tasted Casa Dragones over a decade ago, we were blown away by what was, at that time, a very unique joven expression, made in the lowlands on column stills from both aged and unaged tequilas by the first, and then only, female Maestro Taquilera, Bertha Gonzalez Nieves. It’s a serious understatement to…
Review: 2018 Mazzei Ser Lapo Chianto Classico DOCG
Established in 1435, the Mazzei family has long been considered one of the founding families of Chianti Classico. This wine, Ser Lapo, is aged for 12 months in small French oak barrels (50% new). A true crowd-pleaser, Ser Lapo is surprisingly light on its feet at 13.5% abv, brisk with cherry and tempered with tea…
Review: Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Sonoma Triple Finish
Woodford Reserve’s goal to never repeat a Master’s Collection recipe has forced it to get pretty innovative after 20 years of releases. For 2023, the distillery has put together a unique offering called Sonoma Triple Finish. This one honors its longstanding footprint in Sonoma County, finishing Woodford bourbon in Sonoma County pinot noir, brandy, and…
Book Review: Slow Drinks
The idea of “slow food” – embracing local and traditional foods over imported, processed, and speedy alternatives – has been at the forefront of modern cuisine for decades now. You’re probably more familiar with the “farm to table” concept, which is kind of the same thing, although sometimes the farm and the table can still…
Review: Buffalo Trace Prohibition Collection
A few months ago, Buffalo Trace dropped one of its most ambitious (and expensive) whiskey collections: the first installment of the annually released Prohibition Collection, a five-(half) bottle collection “honoring the whiskeys that were legally produced and sold at the distillery during arguably the most contentious time period in alcohol history.” From 1920 to 1933,…
Review: Copper Fox Amaro y Arroyo
Virginia’s Copper Fox Distillery has been mixing up impressive craft cocktails at both their Sperryville and Williamsburg locations since the state loosened restrictions on on-site beverage sales (which still aren’t loose enough, if you ask most Virginia distillers). It’s no surprise then that the distillery has added a cocktail-friendly amaro to its lineup. Amaro y…
Review: 4 Syrups from Liquid Alchemist
Liquid Alchemist has more flavors than I can count — at least a dozen — and all are authentic as they get, made with their named ingredients and cane sugar, plus maybe a little citric acid. We’ve reviewed Liquid Alchemist’s orgeat in the past — not my favorite — and today we take a spin with…
